A fluffy Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting. This easy frosting requires just 3 ingredients, comes together fast, and is perfect for piping and spreading onto cakes and cupcakes.
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Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
This is my mom’s frosting recipe. She uses it on my favorite moist rum cake – which she taught me to make, so I will get to posting it soon! This cream cheese frosting can be used for just about any kind of cake.
Best of all, there is NO BUTTER so it’s easier on your conscience.
Ingredients for Russian Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 – 8 oz package of Cream Cheese (at room temperature 1-2 hrs)
1 – 14 oz can cooked sweetened condensed milk (cooled)
1 – 16 oz tub of Cool Whip (thawed in the fridge or on the counter)
How to Make 3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Frosting:
Boil the can of sweetened condensed milk ahead of time to give it time to cool. I’ve found cooking it with the crockpot method (4 hours on high) works great or you can make Instant Pot Dulce De Leche. Cool the can in ice water or keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. The sweetened condensed milk will have a caramel color after it is cooked.
I usually cook two or three cans at a time, they won’t spoil if you keep them refrigerated and you can have them ready for next time!
You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer: Beat the cream cheese on high until it is light and fluffy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the cool whip and beat on medium-high until it is light and fluffy (about 6-7 minutes) – Don’t over-mix.
Spread and enjoy as your new favorite cake frosting!
This frosting also freezes well; just divide it into quart size freezer bags, lay flat to freeze and thaw in the fridge when you need it. Mine kept for at least 6 months and tasted just as good!
Cool Whip Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe (3 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened (1-2 hours at room temp)
- 14 oz dulce de leche
- 16 oz tub of Cool Whip, thawed in the fridge or on the counter
Instructions
- Boil the can of sweetened condensed milk ahead of time to give it time to cool. I've found cooking it with the crock-pot method (4 hours on high) is best.
- Cool the can in ice water or keep in the refrigerator until ready to use. The sweetened condensed milk will have a caramel color after it is cooked.
- You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer: Beat the cream cheese on high until it is light and fluffy. Add the sweetened condensed milk and the cool whip and beat on medium-high until it is light and fluffy (about 6-7 minutes) - Don't over-mix.
- Spread and enjoy as your new favorite cake frosting!
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
This frosting is so light and fluffy it’s like a cloud.i put it on spice cupcakes and it was heavenly..not overly sweet..Thank Mom for me!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Debra!
Ok, I’m gonna say it… THIS IS THE BEST FROSTING EVER!!!! OMG, it is so fluffy and creamy at the same time.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you.
Hi Natasha! I was wondering if I could buy cooked sweetened condensed milk and use that instead of cooking it myself? Thank you for your time.
Hi Carina! That should work! European stores often sell it.
How do you boil the condensed milk? In the can (which is what the recipe sounds like) or in a pot on the stove. If in the can, do you open the can first? How long do you boil it? Thanks!
Hi Pam, you can find my receipe for Cooked Condensed Milk HERE.
Hello Natasha,
Can I use this frosting for a carrot cake?
Hello Andrea, I imagine it can work well!
Hello Natasha.
So does the frosting turn out white in color or does it have a caramel tint, because of the cooked condensed milk? Could I add a little gel food coloring for a different color?
Thank you.
Hi Tanya, it isn’t a pure white like a meringue, but does have a slight caramel tint to it. I think it would work well to add a little gel food coloring to it.
Thank you for getting back to me. I enjoy following you on Instagram and come back to your recipes so often! 😊
I do have one more question, would I be able to use the already cooked sweetened condensed milk that are sold in stores, or is the method in this recipe better somehow?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Tanya, the cooked one will work 🙂
Hi Natasha, I am a first time poster as I have just recently discovered you. Can you please explain to this Aussie what cool whip is and what may be a good substitute for this.
Hi Kylie, it is similar to a stabilized whipped cream. If you aren’t able to get it in the store, there is only one other brand that I know of that makes a more natural version called “redi whip”. I do have another really great frosting that uses whipped cream instead of cool whip that you might try if you aren’t able to find that product.
Thanks Natasha for the alternative recipe. We have (to my knowledge) neither of those products here. I’ll give your other recipe suggestion a go! I love your channel and all you recipes look amazing. 🙂
Thank you Kylie! I hope you love everything you try 🙂
Would you recommend pairing this frosting with a chocolate cupcake or vanilla cupcake ?
Hi Anna, I think it would taste great with both, but for cupcakes I do like a stiffer frosting. My go-to cupcake frosting is this one which I use for vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. And for chocolate cupcakes, this one is also really good.
Is there enough frosting for 24cupcakes?
Hi Elizabeth, I think you could stretch it for 24 cupcakes but you won’t have enough to generously pipe on the frosting as in the photo above 🙂
I substituted whipped cream in place of Cool Whip. Unfortunately it is runny and impossible to frost cupcakes. Can I saved it by adding powder sugar?
Hi Raya, cool whip will be stiffer because it keeps it’s form when blended with everything else better than whipped cream but when using whipped cream, make sure to beat it until it reaches stiff peaks. I don’t think adding powdered sugar will help much to thicken it if it is already loose.
if you put in dried milk it helps to stiffen the whipping cream cream hope this helps.
Daniel
Daniel, that is really a brilliant suggestion. What proportions do you use of dried milk to whipping cream? Is there a specific brand that you love?
Hi Natasha,
May I know if I can color this frosting? And is this firm enough to frost a tall tree like frosting on cupcakes? Do you think this one goes well with your moist chocolate cupcakes? Thank you.
Mabel, this one is not really firm enough for the cupcakes. Use this one instead, it will work much better.
Hi .. I was wondering if you add water in the crockpot when you cook the condenced milk?
Thank you,
Mia
Yes cover the jars. Here is a tutorial: https://natashaskitchen.com/2012/03/02/dulce-de-leche-cooked-sweetened-condensed-milk/
Thank you for the frosting it is great I use it all the time. I do wanna ask you do you have delicious recipe of buttercream that can be used when you cover cake with fondant. Thanks
Anna, I never actually worked with fondant and don’t have a buttercream recipe yet. But thanks for the suggestions, I will put it on my to-do list ).
Do you think i can add heavy whipping cream instead of cool whip, and when would i add it?
Add it when you would add the cool whip, but the heavy cream needs to be already whipped until it’s pretty stiff (about 2 min on high speed)
I have a small tip for those who would like to save time when making cream with cooked condensed milk. Walmart (or at least at the one where I live) sells both cooked and uncooked condensed milk. It is way faster than cooking it at home for 4+ hrs.
Can you post the rum cake? 🙂 plez..
Sounds yummy w/the cream cheese in it…Have you posted the rum cake recipe yet? I’d love to try it 🙂
Not yet, but I’ve gotten several requests, Its definitely on my to-do list.
And also love the freezing tip–I’ve been trying to find recipes for stuff that freezes well so I can still throw something yummy together when I’m busy–keep them coming!
I don’t think I’ve ever tried this frosting with the cooked sweetened condensed milk–I’ve always just made it with a couple tablespoons of sugar–I’ll think I’ll try your version, it sounds yummy. Yes, it’s a nice, easy, go-to recipe when you’re in a hurry, and to teach your kids–I’ve been making it since I was 11 or 12 years old (it might be a while still before David will be making it though :-). Isn’t it interesting how Ukrainians have adapted American ingredients to make European-type cakes?
Yeah, I guess its not truly Ukrainian if it has cool whip!
Hi…was just looking at these cream recipe again and wondering is the rum cake that roll you posted? or is there another one I’m not seeing. Thanks 🙂
I think I was talking about this one tht I also make with a wine syrup:
https://natashaskitchen.com/2010/08/02/biskvit-russian-cake-recipe/